Index card holder

ABSTRACT

A rolling index card holder comprises a plurality of cradle-like sectors which include opposing faceted side walls extending from a core sector. The faceted side walls provide a means for supporting the holder and the sectors are hinged together so that the card holder may be opened to provide convenient access to all of the index cards within the device. Preferably, the holder is mounted from a standard plastic material with the hinges between adjacent sectors being formed of a thinner-gauge plastic.

United States Patent 91 Saltz [451 Jan. 16,1973

[54] INDEX CARD HOLDER [75] Inventor: Ira Saltz,Greenlawn,N.Y.

[73] Assignee: Oxford Pendaflex Corporation, Garden City, NY.

[22] Filed: Sept. 23, 1971 [21] Appl.No.: 183,131

[52] U.S.Cl ..40/72, 40/74 [51] lnt.Cl ..G09fll/06 [58] Field of Search ..40/68,68.6, 72, 73.4,74; 206/451 1, 73; 220/31 S [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,522,986 9/1950 Bruen 3,413,062 11/1968 Zillmer ..40/68 44 ml IIO l I0 26 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-J. H. Wolff AttorneyDarby & Darby [5 7 ABSTRACT 7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures 6/1950 France ..206/52 PATENTEDJAN 16 ms 3.710.487

sum 1 OF 2 ENTOR. SALTZ ATTORNEYS INDEX CARD HOLDER The present invention relates to a holding device for index cards or the like.

I Rolling index card holders generally include a spoollike construction on which the cards are mounted so that they extend radially from the axis or core of the spool. The spool is rotatably supported within a base construction and the user has access to any of the cards within the file by rotating the entire spool.

The present invention relates to the foregoing type of index card holder. It is generally simpler and less expensive than prior constructions of this nature. It may be used as a rolling holder, in which only a limited number of the stored cards are accessible to the user at any one time, or it may be used in such a way that all of the index cards stored within the holder are readily accessible to the user. The invention thus provides a relatively simple and inexpensive construction which provides specific advantages over known constructions and thus has increased utility.

Briefly, in accordance with the invention, an index card holder comprises at least two cradle-like sectors, each having two faceted side walls extending from the end of a core section and terminating end walls which extend radially from the core sector. Adjacent end walls of contiguous sectors are hinged together and latching means are provided to detachably secure the free end walls of the sectors together. A card-mounting rail extends from one end wall to the other in each of the sectors for mounting the index cards.

The invention is described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an index card holder according to the invention in its closed or rolling condition;

FIG. 2 is a side-sectional view along the line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 showing the card holder partially opened;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view along line 4-4 showing how the individual index cards are retained on the card-mounting rails; and

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the card holder according to the invention in its open condition in which all of the stored cards are accessible.

The construction and operation of the invention is clearly illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 5. The holder, according to the preferred embodiment of the invention, includes three cradlelike sectors A, B and C which are essentially identical. Each of the sectors includes parallel, faceted side walls and 12 extending from opposite ends of a rounded core sector 14, and end walls 18 and 20 which extend radially from core sector 14 between the ends of the side walls 10 and 12.

In the preferred embodiment, the faceted side walls 10 and 12 terminate in respective transverse ledges 22 and 24 to provide a stable supporting structure for the device.

Each cradle sector further includes a pair of cardmounting rails 26 which are T-shaped in cross section and which extend between the end walls 18 and 20. The index cards, shown at 28, include cooperating T- shaped slots 30 which permit the individual cards to be readily inserted on, or removed from, the mounting rails 26. The construction of rails 26 and their cooperation with the complementary slots 30 of index cards 28 is standard.

According to the invention, the cradle sector A is hingedly connected to sector B and sector B is hingedly connected to sector C. In the preferred embodiment, the device as described is molded! of a plastic material (e.g. ABS or polypropylene) and the hinges may comprise integral thinner-gauge plastic flaps 34 and 36 which join the outer extremities and engage the outer edges of the adjacent end walls 18 and 20 of sectors A and B and of sectors B and C. The techniques for molding these relatively thin hinges 34 and 36 are well known in the plastic arts.

A latching means is provided to secure the free end walls of sectors A and C together when it is desired to use the device as a rolling holder. In the preferred embodiment, this latching means comprises magnets 40 and 42 secured within suitable indentations (not num bered) within the respective end walls 18 (of sector A) and 20 (of sector C).

The manner in which the invention is used should be apparent from the foregoing description. When the hinged sectors A, B and C are closed (FIG. 1) the user I may turn the entire device to any position in which the holder can rest on a pair of corresponding flat surfaces of ledges 22 and 24. If the user of the tile desires access to all of the stored cards, the latched end walls 18 and 20 of sectors A and C are pulled apart manually (recesses 44 and 46 being provided to facilitate separation of sectors A and C) and the three sectors are opened as illustrated in FIG. 5.

There are many possible variations of the basic invention. The number of sectors employed and .the number of facets may vary within wide limits. Presently, the illustrated embodiment of the invention is deemed to be optimal since it provides a satisfactory number of usable positions (i.e. nine) and the configuration provides a self-stabilizing feature by virtue of the weight of the cards. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, when the holder is resting on the center facets of the B sector, the index cards 28 within sector B tend to hang straight down and the weight of the cards in sectors A and C is balancedObviously, the greater the number of facets, the greater the number of possible positions; however, on the other hand, stability of the device decreases as the number of facets increases. The bottom of the cards must not extend beyond the ledges 22 and 24 and, for this reason, it may not be practical to use triangular sectors, particularly if there are only three sectors.

What is claimed is:

1. An index card holder comprising at least two cradle-like sectors, each sector having two faceted side walls, a core sector extending between said side walls, end walls extending radially from said core sector, and a card-mounting rail extending from one end wall to the other with each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for hingedly connecting said sectors along the outer extremities and engaging the outer edges of theiradjacentend walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby" said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; and latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradlelike sectors together.

2. An index card holder according to claim 1, wherein said means for hingedly connecting comprises a flexible plastic member integrally formed with the adjacent end walls.

3. An index card holder according to claim 2, wherein each of said side walls includes three flat surfaces.

4. An index card holder according to claim 3, wherein said flat surfaces are formed by tranverse ledges integrally formed with the edges of said side walls.

5. An index card holder according to claim 4, wherein said latching means comprises a magnet.

6. An index card holder comprising at least two cradle-like sectors, each sector having two faceted side walls, a core sector extending between said side walls, end walls extending radially from said core sector, and a card-mounting rail extending from one end wall to the other with each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for hingedly connecting said sectors along the outer extremities and engaging the outer edges of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradle-like sectors together, (a) there being three sectors, (b) said means for connecting hingedly connecting the first of said sectors to the second of said sectors and the second of said sectors to the third of said sectors, and (c) said latching means securing the unconnected end walls of said first and third sectors.

7. An index card holder according to claim 6, wherein each of said faceted side walls has three flat surfaces to provide a total of nine supporting surfaces for said holder. 

1. An index card holder comprising at least two cradle-like sectors, each sector having two faceted side walls, a core sector extending between said side walls, end walls extending radially from said core sector, and a card-mounting rail extending from one end wall to the other with each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for hingedly connecting said sectors along the outer extremities and engaging the outer edges of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; and latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradle-like sectors together.
 2. An index card holder according to claim 1, wherein said means for hingedly connecting comprises a flexible plastic member integrally formed with the adjacent end walls.
 3. An index card holder according to claim 2, wherein each of said side walls includes three flat surfaces.
 4. An index card holder accoRding to claim 3, wherein said flat surfaces are formed by tranverse ledges integrally formed with the edges of said side walls.
 5. An index card holder according to claim 4, wherein said latching means comprises a magnet.
 6. An index card holder comprising at least two cradle-like sectors, each sector having two faceted side walls, a core sector extending between said side walls, end walls extending radially from said core sector, and a card-mounting rail extending from one end wall to the other with each of said side walls having at least one flat surface, the flat surfaces of opposing side walls being aligned to provide a supporting surface for the card holder; means for hingedly connecting said sectors along the outer extremities and engaging the outer edges of their adjacent end walls whereby said sectors may be in a closed position, resulting in an endless arrangement of said sectors, and alternatively, whereby said sectors may be in an open position, resulting in a linear arrangement of said sectors; latching means for securing the unconnected end walls of said cradle-like sectors together, (a) there being three sectors, (b) said means for connecting hingedly connecting the first of said sectors to the second of said sectors and the second of said sectors to the third of said sectors, and (c) said latching means securing the unconnected end walls of said first and third sectors.
 7. An index card holder according to claim 6, wherein each of said faceted side walls has three flat surfaces to provide a total of nine supporting surfaces for said holder. 